Category: Speeches

  • Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2020 Comments on Home Affairs Select Committee Report

    Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2020 Comments on Home Affairs Select Committee Report

    The comments made by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Shadow Home Secretary, on 5 August 2020.

    The findings of this Home Affairs Select Committee report are a stark warning to the Government that it needs to learn lessons, and fast.

    The Government’s decision to lift self-isolation guidance on 13 March and create a situation where no border protections were in place for three months is described as “inexplicable” and there is harsh criticism for the mixed messaging on recent border measures.

    The Government needs to get a grip of its communication, be open and transparent about the quarantining measures it needs to take, by publishing the evidence it is based on, and develop a properly functioning testing system.

  • David Lammy – 2020 Comments on Courts Backlog

    David Lammy – 2020 Comments on Courts Backlog

    The comments made by David Lammy, the Shadow Justice Secretary, on 5 August 2020.

    The Tories’ disastrous sell-off of courts in England and Wales has created a situation where dangerous offenders could now be released onto the streets.

    This could threaten public safety as well as being another insult to the generation of victims who are being denied justice by endless delays.

    Tory vandalism has created chaos and permanently damaged the justice system. It’s unbelievable that the Government plans to close further courts.

    The Government must stop dithering over its roll out of Nightingale Courts. We urgently need more capacity to deal with the immediate crisis. The Conservatives must also promise to make no new plans to close more courts while in government.

  • Vicky Foxcroft – 2020 Comments on Shielding Population

    Vicky Foxcroft – 2020 Comments on Shielding Population

    The comments made by Vicky Foxcroft, the Shadow Minister for Disabled People, on 5 August 2020.

    Sadly these statistics confirm what Labour has been warning for some time, issuing back to work notices for the clinical vulnerable with no support has left many facing an impossible choice between their health and their livelihood.

    The Government must publish the scientific advice it has received confirming it is safe for disabled and clinically vulnerable people to stop shielding. They must urgently confirm how those who cannot return to their workplace will be supported, how many people this affects and what steps they are taking to communicate this to the shielding community.

  • Paul Scully – 2020 Comments on Small Business Support

    Paul Scully – 2020 Comments on Small Business Support

    Comments made by Paul Scully, the Small Business Minister, on 3 August 2020.

    I know from my own experience of running small businesses just how valuable the advice and experience of experts and peers can be when you are looking to grow your company.

    The strength of small businesses up and down the country will be vital as we begin to bounce back from coronavirus and re-build our economy. These schemes will help equip small business leaders with the leadership, resilience and problem-solving skills they need to grow their firms in the wake of this pandemic.

  • Robert Jenrick – 2020 Comments on Planning

    Robert Jenrick – 2020 Comments on Planning

    Comments made by Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, on 4 August 2020.

    As we get Britain building we are also laying the foundations for a green economic recovery by investing in vital infrastructure for local communities, creating jobs and building environmentally-friendly homes with a huge £1.3 billion investment announced today.

    This government is determined to level up all parts of the country and this funding will not only give a much needed boost to our economic recovery, it will help build the good quality, affordable homes the country needs.

  • Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2020 Comments on Locusts

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2020 Comments on Locusts

    The comments made by Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the Secretary of State for International Development, on 4 August 2020.

    Vulnerable communities are on the brink of starvation because of the biggest locust outbreak in decades, made worse by the coronavirus pandemic.

    British expertise is playing an important role in equipping companies with the right tools to combat the swarms and track where they will go next.

    But unless other countries also step up and act now, this crisis will spread and cause even more devastation.

  • Ed Miliband – 2020 Comments on Furlough Support

    Ed Miliband – 2020 Comments on Furlough Support

    The comments made by Ed Miliband, the Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on 31 July 2020.

    Many businesses still have little or no cash coming in, but are trying to do the right thing and save their employees’ jobs. They now face the stark choice of letting go of their staff or facing a hefty financial burden to keep them on.

    Businesses in vastly different sectors and circumstances should not be treated in this uniform way, and it is clearly unfair and illogical for those employers still locked down and unable to trade. Unless Ministers recognise the scale of the jobs crisis and change course they will force employers to make cuts, and be culpable for thousands of workers across the country losing their jobs and livelihoods.

    Labour is calling on the Government to end their damaging blanket approach to ending furlough support before it is too late, and to target support at the hardest hit sectors. This would encourage businesses to stick with workers and not make them redundant now, which is inevitable unless government changes course.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2020 Comments on Care Home Testing Pledge

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2020 Comments on Care Home Testing Pledge

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 3 August 2020.

    With infections rising, it’s frankly negligent ministers have failed to deliver on their promise to regularly test care home residents and staff. And to brief newspapers that over-50s may need to shield on the day shielding has been paused causes yet more unnecessary confusion and anxiety.

    Ministers have been too slow to act and explain their strategy throughout this pandemic. Test and Trace is costing £10 billion but is nowhere near the ‘world beating’ system we were promised.

    It’s critical measures are now put in place to control the virus including rapidly improving testing and locally-led contact tracing teams. The Government failed to protect care home residents and staff early on in this pandemic. They mustn’t make the same mistake again.

  • John Major – 2020 Comments on Death of John Hume

    John Major – 2020 Comments on Death of John Hume

    The comments made by John Major, the Prime Minister between 1990 and 1997, on 3 August 2020.

    John Hume was an advocate for peace in Northern Ireland for the greater part of his life.

    Few others invested such time and energy to this search, and few sought to change entrenched attitudes with such fierce determination.

    Those whose communities have been transformed into peaceful neighbourhoods may wish to pay tribute to one of the most fervent warriors for peace.

    He has earned himself an honoured place in Irish history.

  • Keir Starmer – 2020 Comments on Death of John Hume

    Keir Starmer – 2020 Comments on Death of John Hume

    The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, on 3 August 2020.

    It is deeply saddening to hear of the death of John Hume.

    Life across the island of Ireland is peaceful and more prosperous today because of his courage, vision and determination. He guided away from violence and towards justice, tolerance and democracy. He takes his rightful place in the pantheon of leaders whose legacy is of creating a better world for the next generation.

    My thoughts, and those of the Labour movement, are with Pat, John, Mo and the Hume Family.